-90 Historical Notes on the 



a number of large trees fallen across the water obstructed our 

 passage considerably. TTe reached at last a spot about five miles 

 above the junct on. where further ascent was- impossible, and where 

 considerable mining operations — the so-called five mile diggings — 

 were in progress. Here, as at the Kanieri township, the wash- dirt had 

 very often been protected by younger morainic accumulations covering 

 it, and having thus been preserved from destruction. At this place, 

 again, I was detained by continuous rain for about a week, but our 

 camping ground was so well sheltered that we neverfeltany wind, whilst, 

 as I heard afterwards, a fearful storm had beenraging along the coast, 

 houses having been blown away at Hokitika and other settlements, 

 and several vessels, amongst them the steamer Waijjara, having been 

 wrecked -not far from the mouth of the Hokitika river. 



On May 21st we were at last able to continue our journev, and 

 reached in the evening the shores of Lake Kanieri, having travelled 

 the greater part of the day over terraces, mostly swampy, the ground 

 covered with Sphagnum, on which the principal vegetation consisted of 

 kahikatea, totara, and manuka, mixed with Pliyllocladus alpinus and 

 kawaka (LiboceJri'.s donianus), but all the trees were small and had a 

 rather stunted appearance ; but in the gorges of the tributary streams 

 or along the banks of the river-bed, the forest vegetation was very 

 luxuriant and magnificent, the presence of large arborescent ferns 

 adding considerably to the beauty of the scenery. Lake Kanieri, 

 although small, being about five miles long by two milts broad, is a very 

 picturesque sheet of water, as it is surrounded on three sides by 

 high mountains with bold outlines, the lower portions being 

 covered with luxuriant forest. It owes its origin to a large semi- 

 circular terminal moraine which crosses the valley from side to side, and 

 through which its outlet has cut a passage. Alow saddle is conspicuous 

 near its upper end, leading into the upper Hokitika plains, where 

 several roclies moutonnees on both sides show distinctly that a portion 

 of the Kanieri glacier had here joined the extensive Hokitika glacier 

 during our Great Gdacier period. Eeturning to Hokitika for a fresh 

 stock of provisions, we started again on May 25th to ascend, this time, 

 the main river, visiting first the Woodstock diggings on the left bank, 

 where I observed a geological structure of the gold-bearing beds 

 similar to that of the Kanieri township deposits. The river presented 

 a verv animated scene, a number of boats and canoes ascending and 

 descending ; tent houses or small settlements peeped in many spots 



